Game Week of the Multiverse: Overlook Hill & Top Plaza

[Ambyssin]

"Teleporting's boring and overrated." Nero walked past the two of them. He didn't offer any sort of expression that suggested any thoughts about the train other than the fact that it was there. Really, he wished it had a window he could stick his head out. But, alas, that didn't seem to be the case.

Mew, on the other hand, was teleporting around at random. Nero figured it was to screw with Barky.

 

[Fusion]

"I prefer flying and floating and running anyway," Kora tipped his hat to nod. "And trains."

 

[Sinderella]

"Tell me about it," Lillie grumbled. "Want to trade? Perhaps we can go find a Manaphy to swap us."

The offer was nothing more than facetious. While Lillie couldn't see what the person she was talking to had become, she was sure it wasn't as bad as Mimikyu. There was no way anyone would've wanted to be heart-swapped with her.

Deep down, that why she had asked the question. Some buried corner of her mind wanted to hear the refusal. She wanted the validation of having someone say, even indirectly, that she had it worse.

Odette looked over Lillie. The presence of a more familiar looking Pokemon somehow...grounded her a little more in this dreamscape. Although, hearing her speak of Manaphy, and swapping bodies kind of threw her for a loop.

She placed her hands on her widened hips and patted them. She decided it would probably be in her best interest to play along here, until she woke up. "I wouldn't mind a swap. I could do without wide hips for once in my life," she said. "And at least I know how Mimikyu work..." she added under her breath.

Suddenly, a whistle could be faintly heard in the distance, slowly growing closer. Over the horizon, a large contraption would speed by, consisting of several boxy carriages of various behind another, strangely shaped carriage roughly in the shape of a Carkoal, with a chimney on top. Several yellow orbs with pink spots lined the whole contraption.

Some might recognize this strange machine as a train, albeit a rather unique one.

The train would begin slowing down as it approached the village, before coming to a stop next to the clearing with the rainbow tree.

"That must be them," Ayueg commented. "Come on, we're almost there."

The sound of the whistle put her on alert, and she darted her head in the direction the sound had come from. She was pleasantly surprised (and somewhat relieved) to see a train, though the unique build of it certainly stood out. Of course, it wouldn't look like a normal train. It had to look strange. Because this was a dream.

"I prefer to travel by motorcycle, but I guess this will work..."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Whatever, and I don't... drink. Uh, I've been told bad things happen when I do.'

She quirked her brow at this. "Are you scared this'll become a nightmare if you do?"

 

[Navar]

Lance raised a brow. "I've had a fair share of nightmares, this is nothing like them. I just don't like to drink."

"He gets... weird. That's all!" Meggie answered.

 

[Ambyssin]

"That's usually code for someone being an angry drunk... or a flirtatious one," Nero said, shrugging.

 

[Navar]

"It doesn't matter," Lance shrugged. "I don't drink anyway. Let's just... follow the Combusken."

 

[Fusion]

"As long as you have the word 'drunk' added to you, you're basically already Lee's best friend," Kora snickered.

"You make it sound like I have a problem," Lee said flatly.

Kora reverted back to normal, staying silent and crossing his arms.

"...What?" Lee blinked.

Kora grinned and raised a brow.

 

[Navar]

"You have some nice friends, Lance!" Meggie snickered.

"...Sure."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

As the party descended the hill, a streak of fire raced from the sky to the unforgiving earth, meeting it with an explosive collision. The flames surged for a moment before rapidly dwindling around the body of a prone red delphox, already trying to rise to his feet despite an impact that would surely have killed an ordinary pokémon.

"Aw, fuck," said Jesse Stranger, with feeling.

 

[Fusion]

Kora's ear flicked towards the explosion. "Another new arrival?" he asked, putting a smile on his snout and approaching the once on-fire Delphox. "Howdy new guy! You have any idea what we're here for?"

"What are the chances that this is--" Lee suddenly stopped in place, staring at the Delphox for... probably longer than a moment.

"Aw, fuck."

"Aw, fuck..." Lee choked, clutching his chest. It had been so long, Lee thought he would have been ready for this but if the rapid breathing, chills, and sudden clouded mind were anything of value... He was certainly not. While Lee was busy figuring out how to actually move again, he then realized that Kora was approaching Jesse. Kora. "K-Kora..." Lee said, immediately clamping his snout shut and turning away.

"Hm?" Kora looked back, but didn't know who called him. Or if anyone called him. He shrugged, turning back to Jesse. "Name's Kora, pleasure to meet ya!" he nodded.

 

[IFBench]

The Combusken looked behind him just in time to see a strange Delphox crash into the ground. Hopefully there would be enough houses for everyone.

"Uh, hey. I don't know what happened, but you and a bunch of others not from this world found yourselves here somehow. My name's Ayueg," the Combusken said with a nod.

"Leviene would be so much better at this..."

"Look, just come with me until me and the other world-savers can figure this out," Ayueg continued, continuing to walk down the hill.

 

[Navar]

"...Greetings." Lance waved to the Delphox and continued to walk.

"Hi! I'm Meggie, this grumpy Lucario is Lance!" She pointed to her friend.

 

[Fusion]

"...the other world-savers..."

Kora suddenly stiffened up, looking back over at Ayueg with strangely cold eyes. "We're not here to save the world... are we?" he asked, staring through Ayueg, unmoving until he got his answer.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Jesse staggered to his feet and glanced about with eyes, ears and mind to get his bearings.

"Kora, huh? And Ayueg... Howdy, fellas. And howdy to the two of you as well."

He proffered a paw to Kora and Meggie, and raised an eyebrow at the combusken and lucario as they passed by.

So... a bunch of humans in pokémon form, some higher deities, a new world that sure wasn't his own... This was some interdimensional bullshit, no doubt. Fucking fine, he'd deal.

"Good day to y'all," he said. "Well met to th'lotta ya. Th'name's Jesse. Here's hopin' we can all get along and find out what horseshit we've found ourselves in, huh? Mm."

He reached out a little further and catalogued each mind as he found it, first those nearest, and then the rest of them, including–

"...Lee?"

 

[Ambyssin]

"I doubt we're here for world-saving. Don't presume anything," Nero scolded.

Mew teleported toward the newcomer and rubbed their fur. It was delightfully warm. "Myuuuu~"

 

[Navar]

Lance shrugged. "I don't think we're here to do that. The last time I got transported to another realm it was an accident..."

"Yeah!" Meggie nodded.

 

[Fusion]

"...Lee?"

The amount of times the word "fuck" replayed in Lee's head was far too many for even the most gifted Psychic to count. His entire body froze at the mention of his name. Reasonable thought was mostly thrown out of the mental window, but there was at least enough for him to be able to hide how shaken up he had gotten. Sort of.

A faint pulse of aura appeared around Lee's body, and he started to calm. He took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Hello again, Jesse," Lee said, holding himself together as best he could. He took however few steps he could to the fox, feeling this to be a terrible idea for trying to keep that appearance of calmness, but hardly caring. "Always a pleasure, my friend."

Kora kept his gaze on Ayueg, almost entirely ignoring everyone else.

 

[IFBench]

"We're not here to save the world... are we?"

"I...doubt it. If there was just one of you, probably, since every other human who saved the world woke up alone, but with all of you here...I don't think so," Ayueg said. "I was talking about the other members of the World-Savers' Council."

 

[Fusion]

It seemed Kora would accept that answer, easing up slightly and chuckling. "Oh, sweet! I really hoped I hadn't gone from one world-saving hell to another, hehe!" He sneakily waved a paw towards Lee, causing the aura around him to strengthen a bit before fading away.

Lee put on a faint smile and nodded towards Kora, giving him a silent thanks.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Jesse stepped forwards, his whole body wracked with pain and his head still ringing a little despite his relative composure. After what he'd been through lately, damn near anything was an improvement. Seeing Lee again was a genuine pleasure. And now he definitely had his mind reading back. That was sure a lotta 'fucks'.

"Good day t'ya, Lee. Gotta say, I didn't expect t'be so lucky as t'fuckin' see ya again. Let alone so soon! Pull yer shit together and shake my paw, goddamnit."